[DarknessFalls]

I was on Amazon looking at the IOSAT. If shtf in the US for real and you are prepared for it, you should be prepared to be called a criminal for hording. Also I would expect people to call law enforcement on you, or try to take what they think is the law into thier own hands to take your preps for themselves. Here is one of the comments:

By Mike - See all my reviewsThis review is from: iOSAT Potassium Iodide Tablets, 130 mg (14 Tablets) (Health and Beauty)
This is a $6 product, but these criminals jacked up the price 10X to $60 following the disaster in Japan. This is price gouging at the extreme. I hope the feds investigate and prosecute to the full extent of the law. Crimes like this deserve no leniency. END of message

This is a lack of preparedness on Mike's part. There is no emergency in the US right now, but there is alot of hype. This is simple supply and demand. If he does not like the price he does not have to buy it. I would not risk any of my tiny supply which has a small chance at saving a life of a family member or friend for what I bought it for right now. Am I a criminal for saving my preps for my family? In Mike's eyes I probably am, and should be prosecuted for hording.

If shtf here for real OPSEC from these people who feel entitled will be of the highest priorty. I would not trade items at first, as people like this will call you a criminal if you have something they need and you won't agree to thier trade. There are people currently writing reviews on the sellers calling for the sellers deaths. They blame the sellers for their own lack of preparations, and they feel entitled. As preppers if a major shtf event hit us, this is what we have to look forward to from the entitlement crowd in America.

 

[The Saint]

I both see and agree with you to a certain extent.

If you are in the BUSINESS of selling a product to the general public and then you crank the price to an outrageous level in an emergency I feel like this is wrong,

However you as an individual should have the right to place whatever value you feel is fair on anything you purchased and are storing for your own use.

 

[octane]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180639690410

 

[DarknessFalls]

I am more looking at this as a precursor to what will happen to preppers if they are discovered to have supplies in a major shtf event. The mind set is the same.

 

[WrathofWoman]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180639690410

Yeah, I wonder how many "last ones" he has at $250 a pop?

 

[The Saint]

I am more looking at this as a precursor to what will happen to preppers if they are discovered to have supplies in a major shtf event. The mind set is the same.

Oh I agree. Katrina, Haiti, Japan, etc all seem to follow the same pattern.

With desperation comes panic and chaos.

 

[xm193]

the real preppers are her to share and exchange knowledge

 

[doh]

Do a search on eBay and you'll see all kinds of crazy stuff going on, to include one auction that is in active bidding, by 23 people, with 1 pack of Iosat going for $173.

I showed this to my wife and she just about fell out of the recliner.

 

[whoever]

If you are in the BUSINESS of selling a product to the general public and then you crank the price to an outrageous level in an emergency I feel like this is wrong,.

Price controls = shortages. You sure as hell aren't going to buy 10 packs of iodine tablets at $200 a pack, but you might buy one to save your family. If it were $10/pk, you'd probably buy a couple or more. Nothing wrong with this. Its what the market will bear. If you think its evil/wrong/etc, then you are allowing emotion to cloud your judgement.

 

[Horned One]

Price controls = shortages. You sure as hell aren't going to buy 10 packs of iodine tablets at $200 a pack, but you might buy one to save your family. If it were $10/pk, you'd probably buy a couple or more. Nothing wrong with this. Its what the market will bear. If you think its evil/wrong/etc, then you are allowing emotion to cloud your judgement.

Supply and demand is a fictional attempt to justify lining your pockets by screwing people. Let's say I can make an item for $2, and by adding a mark-up of $1 to allow myself a reasonable profit, I can sell the item for $3, right?

So what reason could I possibly have to sell that item for $50? Because people suddenly need it more? That's absurd... but then so is capitalism, so there you have it.

 

[whoever]

Supply and demand is a fictional attempt to justify lining your pockets by screwing people.

You can never "screw" a consumer by setting a price point. A consumer doesn't buy what they are not willing to pay for.

Let's say I can make an item for $2, and by adding a mark-up of $1 to allow myself a reasonable profit, I can sell the item for $3, right?

So what reason could I possibly have to sell that item for $50? Because people suddenly need it more? That's absurd... but then so is capitalism, so there you have it.

Emotions cloud your judgement and belittle your intelligence.

 

[Slovak]

Supply and demand is a fictional attempt to justify lining your pockets by screwing people. Let's say I can make an item for $2, and by adding a mark-up of $1 to allow myself a reasonable profit, I can sell the item for $3, right?

So what reason could I possibly have to sell that item for $50? Because people suddenly need it more? That's absurd... but then so is capitalism, so there you have it.

Something tells me you never studied economics.

 

[robH]

I dont agree with price gouging, but would any of you not ask 100 bucks an ounce for silver, if someone would buy it?

 

[whoever]

I dont agree with price gouging, but would any of you not ask 100 bucks an ounce for silver, if someone would buy it?

If someone was willing to buy silver for $100/oz, why would I sell it for any less?

 

[LuniticFringeInc]

Supply and demand is a fictional attempt to justify lining your pockets by screwing people. Let's say I can make an item for $2, and by adding a mark-up of $1 to allow myself a reasonable profit, I can sell the item for $3, right?

So what reason could I possibly have to sell that item for $50? Because people suddenly need it more? That's absurd... but then so is capitalism, so there you have it.

I helped a friend open up a business and we typically charged 300% marke up on our live stock and at the end of the month we were lucky if we made anything near minimum wage after the bills got paid. Our competitors typically charged 400-600% mark up on the same items and probably didnt make a whole lot more than we did.

The free market and capitalism works if you let it. You then have an oppertunity to reap the rewards from the money and time you have invested if you have the forse sight to make smart business decsions. Your other option is to have socialism if you want and have the state tell you what you can and wont do and hope you make enough to scrape by. Personally I prefer to reap the rewards of the seeds I sow...

 

[Horned One]

Something tells me you never studied economics.

Unfortunately I had to learn about it since I worked in advertising. I know all about it. I just don't agree with it.

 

[whoever]

Unfortunately I had to learn about it since I worked in advertising. I know all about it. I just don't agree with it.

Thats like not agreeing with gravity.

 

[wifiwaves]

Many people confuse "cost" or "price" with "value"...

 

[Horned One]

Emotions cloud your judgement and belittle your intelligence.

Intellect gives us a lot of options, but it's our emotions that make us human. I have a healthy balance between the two.

I simply disagree with the concept of capitalism. It brings out the worst in humanity, and objectifies the world. It's an unhealthy system.

 

[horatioo]

You can easily think price gouging is unethical and still understand economics. If a manufacturer is making a profit at $20, he might be taking advantage of fear by asking $500. Sure supply and demand account for something, but who says the supply went down just because demand went up drastically?